Safety appliance for mine-shafts.



W. E. HOUSMAN & G. E. HUT TF-LMAIER. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR MINE SHAFTS.

AIPLIOATIOH nun BBPT. 10. 1912.

1,100,184, Patented June '16, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

iNVENTQRS W .W p QM; f fi WITNESSES OLUIIIA I'LANDUIANI 13.. WAININGTON, n. c.

W. E. HOUSMAN & G. E. HUTTELMAIER.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR MINE SHAFTS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1912.

1,100,1 84. Patented June 16, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBET 2.

1 .45 y; Y z/yzwr COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH 420., WASHINGTON, D. C.

MAN and GUSTAVE E.

SCOTTDALE, PENNSYL- SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR MINE-SHAFTS.

1,100,184. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 10, 1812.

Patented June 16, 1914. Serial No. 719,686.

To all whom it may concern e it known that we, VVALTER E. Hons- HUTTELMAIER, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Scottdale, in the county of vVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Safety Appliance for Mine-Shafts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

ur invention relates to a saftey appliance for use in connection with the hoists of mine shafts, and more particularly relates to the construction of a safety appliance to he used at the track levels of such hoists to prevent the passage of mine cars into the mine shaft when the shaft cage is not positioned at the proper elevation opposite the top of the shaft or opposite an entry in the depth of the shaft to receive the mine wagons or cars, and in this way prevent the cars falling to the bottom of the shaft and avoiding damage to the mine shaft and cars and possible loss of life.

One object of our invention is to provide a stop mechanism for use on the hoists of mine shafts having novel means whereby the passage of the mine wagons or mine cars into the mine shaft is prevented except when the mine cage is at the desired elevation opposite the track level of the mine shaft or hoist at or to which the stop mechanism is located or applied for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device for the stop mechanism having'novel means whereby the stop mechanism is automatically locked in its closed position at all times except when the mine cage is located at the track level of the mine shaft controlled by the stop mech anism, in position to receive the mine wagons or cars.

A further object of our invention is to provide a stop mechanism having novel means whereby the stops engaging with the car wheels are actuated and are retracted when the cage is in position opposite the car tracks at the different levels in the mine shaft or hoist.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stop mechanism which, while preventing the passage of the mine cars or wagons from the car track to the cage of the hoist, will automatically permit of the cars or wagons being freely shifted from I the cage to the track opposite the cage when the cage is in position to discharge the cars or wagons.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan showing a mine hoist having a car stop and stop operating mechanism applied for use thereto, as constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the stop and stop operating mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a mine shaft or hoist having a hoistingcage 3 mounted therein, the opposite sides 4-4 of the shaft having vertically extending guides 55 for the cage 3 which are constructed in the usual and well known manner. The platform of the cage 3 is equipped with track rails 6-6 on which the wagons or mine cars are supported while being raised and lowered within the shaft 2. The track rails 66 are located on the cage 3 so as to aline with the rails 77 forming the tracks which are provided at the top of the shaft and at the levels of the various entries located at different points in the depth of the mine shaft 2.

above the cage platform, metal plates 8 being employed for this purpose, and the ends of the cage are left open to permit the cars or mine wagons to be moved on and off the cage to the entries which may be located at either end of the cage platfornt The sheathing 8 forms a convenient means for the attachment of the angles 9 forming the slides on the mine cage engaging with opposite sides of the guides 5 in the mine shaft in holding the cage in position within the shaft.

Pivoted alongside the track rails 77 at a short distance from the mine shaft 2 so as to swing into and out of operative posiwhich engage with the wheels of the mine cars or wagons and prevent further movement thereof toward the mine shaft 2 and cage 3. The swinging stops l0 and 11 are pivoted intermediate of the ends thereof to shafts or pins 12 mounted in the lugs 13 on tie plates 14:.Whlch are spiked or otherwise secured in place to the ties 15 of the track The sides of the mine cage 3 are sheathed I tion above the rails are the stops 10 and 11' formed by the rails T-7. The lower depending end of the stop 10 is adjustably secured to the screw threaded end of a rod 16 by means of the adjusting nuts 17. The lower depending end of the stop 11 is similarly secured to the screw threaded end of the rod 13 by means of adjusting nuts 19. The rod 16 is pivotally connected by a pin :60 to the upper end of the swinging lever 21 which is pivoted at an intermediate point in its length by a pin to a track tie and one end of the reach rod 18 is pivotally con nected by a bolt 23 to the other or lower end of the lever 31. The upper end of the lever 21 also connected by a clevis 24 to one end of the spring rod 25, one end of which extends througi a support 26 and is connected by a clevis 27 to one end of one arm of the bell crank 28.

The spring on the rod 25 is arranged to yieldingly hold the stops 10 and 11 in operative position on the rails ('T to permit the inclined faces 10 1 on the stops when engaged by the wheels of the mine cars, in moving cars from the cage to the track formed by the rails 7--T, tobe retracted without reference to the position of the stop operating lever and connecting mechanism. The bell crank 28 is pivoted by a pin 29 to a track tie 15 and the other end of this bell crank is connected by the adjustable reach rod 30 to one end of one arm of a bell crank 31. The bell crank 31 is pivoted to a sup port 32 which is fixed in position alongside the track adjacentto the mine shaft 2 and the opposite or short arm of the bell crank 31 is connected by straps 33 to one end of the bell crank 34. pivoted on the pivot pin 35 which is supported in bracket bearings 36 fixed to the support The opposite arm of the bell crank 34 is held in the position shown in the drawings. Pivoted on the third arm of the bell crank 34 by a pin 34" at an intermediate point in its length is an operating lever 37. This lever is connected by its lower end to one end of a reach rod 37 having a sleeve nut 38 thereon to permit of its lengthwise adjustment. The other end of the reach rod 37 extends through a guide 39 and is fastened by a pivot pin 40 to one end of a bell crank 4E1 whichis pivotally secured by a pin 12 to the bearing block 43 which is permanently secured so as to overhang one side of the mine shaft 2. The other arm 41 of the bell crank 11 is arranged to swing over the openin forming the mine shaft 2 so as to engage with the side of the mine cage formed by the sheathing plates 8 when the mine cage 3 is positioned in the mine shaft 2 opposite an entry or opposite the top of the shaft. The upper end of the operating lever 37 is provided with a handled rod 4 1 by which it is manually operated to move the stops 10 and 11 from the position shown in full lines into that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 to be clear of the track and permit the cars being freely moved from the track rails 7 into position on the rails (3 on the platform of the mine cage In the operation of our improved stop mechanism the parts being assembled as shown and the mine cage being positioned to bring the track rails (i at the same level as the track rails 7 of an entry in the mine shaft 2, the handle 44 on the rod a l is grasped by an oaerator and the lever 37 is swung to the le t from the position shown in Fig. 2. This movement of the lever 37 first operates to move the bell crank 41 until the end of the arm 41" of this bell crank strikes the side of the mine cage formed by the sheathing plates 8 on the cage Further movement of the lever 37 then rocks the bell crank so as to move the bell crank 31. This movement of the bell crank 31 through the reach rod 30 actuates the spring rod 2 5 which in turn moves the reach rod 16 from right to left and simultaneously moves the reach rod 18 from left to right, such movement of these rods shifting the position of the stops 10 and 11 from that shown in full lines into that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The mine wagon or car can then be freely moved from the track rails 7 to the track rails 6 of the mine cage 3. When the handled lever 44 is released by the operator the counterweight on the bell crank 34 will act to shift and move the parts until again in the position shown in the drawings, with the stops 10 and 11 in position on the heads of the rails 7. \Vhen the mine cage 3 is raised or lowered so that the track rails (3 on the cage 3 are not opposite the rails 7 of a mine entry the counterweight on the bell crank 34 will maintain the stops in operative position above the track rails and should the lever 37 be moved by the rod 141 such movement will actuate the bell crank 41. The side 8 of the cage 3 not being in position to engage the arm 41 of the bell crank 41, this bell crank will swing freely on its pivot t2 and it will be impossible to actuate the bell crank 34 and the mechanism connecting this bell crank with the stops 10 and 11 when the mine cage is not positioned as shown in the drawings.

The advantages of our invention are many, and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. By means of our improved stop mechanism the possibility of mine cars or wagons being moved from their tracks so as to fall into the mine shaft is prevented and overcome, and the liability of damage to the mine shaft and cars and possible loss of life caused by cars falling into the shaft is avoided and prevented.

The apparatus is simple and is easily kept in repair and, at a small expense, the mine and its various levels is equipped with a safety appliance which prevents the possibility of serious accident or damage to the hoisting mechanism in the mine shaft.

Modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from our invention as defined in the claims.

. We claim 1. In a safety appliance for mine shafts the combination with a mine car track and a mine shaft having a hoisting cage adapted to receive cars from said track, of a swinging safety stop on said track arranged to prevent movement of the cars from the track to the mine cage, and means for manually swinging said stop into and out of operative position, said means including a bell crank and the bell crank having an arm operatively engaged by the hoisting cage in actuating the stop swinging means to move the stops into inoperative position, and being freely movable but inoperatively connected to the stop actuating means when disengaged from the hoisting cage.

2. In asafety appliance for mine shafts the combination with a mine car track and a mine shaft having a hoisting cage adapted to receive cars from said track, of a swinging safety stop on said track arranged to prevent movement of the cars from the track to the cage and mechanism for moving said stop out of the path of mine cars passing to said cage, said mechanism including a bell crank arranged to permit movement of said mechanism with out moving said stop into its inoperative position when the hoisting cage is not positioned to receive cars from the mine car track.

3. In a safety appliance for mine shafts the combination with a mine car track and a mine shaft having a hoisting cage adapted to receive cars from said track, of a safety stop on said track arranged to prevent movement of the cars from the track to the cage, and mechanism for moving said stop out of the path of cars passing to said cage, said stop moving mechanism having means engaging with the mine car wheels to mechanically move the stop out of the path of cars passing from the cage to the car track.

4. In a safety appliance for mine shafts the combination with a mine car track and a mine shaft having a hoisting cage adapted to receive cars from said track, of a safety stop engaging the rails of said track to prevent movement of cars from the track to the cage in said shaft, and mechanism for moving said stop out of the path of mine cars passing to said cage, said mechanism bein inoperable when the cage is not positione to receive mine cars from the car track.

5. In a safety appliance for mine cars the combination with a mine car track and a mine shaft having a hoisting cage adapted to receive cars from said track, of a safety stop on said track arranged to prevent movement of cars from the track to the cage in said shaft, and mechanism for moving said stop out of the path of cars pasing to said cage, said mechanism having a manually actuated operating lever and having means engaging with the cage cooperating with said lever in moving the stop into inoperative position when the cage is positioned to receive cars from the track.

6. In a safety appliance for mine shafts the combination with a mine car track and a mine shaft having a hoisting cage adapted to receive cars from said track, of a safety stop on the track arranged to prevent movement of cars from the track rails to the cage, mechanism for moving said stop out of the path of mine cars passing to said cage, said mechanism having a manually actuated operating lever and having means engaging with the cage cooperating with said lever in moving the stop into inoperative position when the cage is positioned to receive cars from the track, and a counterweight to move the operating lever when released and shift the stop to operative position on said track.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

WALTER E. HOUSMAN. GUSTAVE E. HUTTELMAIER.

Witnesses IV. S. VILEY, J. HUBBS NIOKELS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

